Sifting device



Jan. 15, 1946. H. P. FARIS ET AL SIFTING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1943INVENTORS HAROLD P. FARIS ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 15, 1946 UNITED STATESPATENT oFFlca SIFTING DEVICE Harold P. Faris, Philadelphia, Pa., andJohn E. White, Trenton, N. J., assignors to National Automotive Fibres,Inc., Detroit, Micin, a corporation of Delaware Original applicationOctober 28, 1940, Serial No. 363,196. Divided and this application April24, 1943, Serial No. 484,435

2 Claims.

cement coated surface of suitable carpet mate-- rial such as a burlapcovered base of rubber while the carpet material is being vibrated sothat the'vibration imparted to the carpet material will cause the flbersdistributed by the sifting device to be imbedded endwise into the cementto simulate the pile of a conventional woven carpet.

Another object is to provide a rotary sifting device having a polygonalframework covered by screening through which the fibers are sifted anddistributed as the device rotates.

Another object is to provide a sifting device to which the cut fibersmay be introduced by an airy stream and in which a baiiie or deflectoris provided to break up the air stream and thereby especially ,whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through a siftingdevice embodying our invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the device on a somewhatenlarged scale;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the device,and showing the screen V work, B is the screening, C is the clamping andprevent the fibers being carried longitudinally" through the device.

Another object is to provide a sifting device having means preferably inthe form of knockers engageable with the screening of the device forvibrating the same during rotation thereof so that the maximumpercentage of out fibers introduced to the device will pass through andbe sifted by the screening thereof.

Another object is to provide a rotary sifting device having its axisinclined to the horizontal to facilitate the passage through thescreening of the device throughout its length of the cut flbersintroduced thereto.

Another object is to provide a sifting device wherein the free edges ofthe screening upon the polygonal framework are held together by clampingand tensioning means which is located in substantially uniformly spacedrelation to the knockers aforesaid to provide a substantially balancedstructure. I

Another object is to provide a sifting device that is simple inconstruction, economical to manufacture, easy to install and operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of. thisinvention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,

efficient in clamping and tensioning means;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the clamping andtensioning means and associated parts illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale through the frameworkat substantially the line 6-5 in Figure 2, showing the knocker assembly.

Referring now to the drawing, A is the framel0 and II respectively ofmetal or other suitable material supported by spokes l2 extendingradially from hub members l3 on a. driven shaft l4 I'he screening B maybe any suitable material and covers the framework A. Preferably the freeedges of this screening are connected together by the clamping andtensloning means C which preferably consistsof clamps 20 and 2|respectively that grip the screening at the free edges thereof, a bolt22 rigid with one section 23 of the clamp 20 and engaging an-aperture ina section 24 of the other clamp, and adjusting nuts 25 and 26respectively on the bolt 22 above the clamp section 24. Thus, thescreening B may be held and tensioned on the framework A by adjustingthe nuts 25 and 26 on the bolt 22.

The deflector D is adjustably mounted on the shaft l4 preferably nearthe inlet end 30 of the sifting device and is in the path of the streamof air that is employed to introduce the cut fibers into the siftingdevice. Any suitable means such as a set screw 3! may be employed tohold the deflector D in adjusted position on the shaft it. As shown, thedeflector D is dished or submade of metal and is substantially U-shapein configuration. In orderthat such knockers may strike the screening Bto vibrate the same during rotation of the sifting device, the arms IIand I of the knockers are pivoted to bracket 42 and 43 respectivelyrigid with the framework A. Thus, upon rotation of the sifting device,the knockers E will swing about theirpivots to and from strikingengagement with the screening B. The resultant vibration of thescreening B will be sumcient to facilitate radial passage of the cutfibers through the screening of the device and thereby cause a largerpercentage of the cut fibers to be sifted or distributed by the-deviceonto the adheslvely coated carpet material mentioned. Moreover, theseknockers tend to prevent the fibers from balling up and forming pillswhich otherwise may obstruct or impede the desired action. In use thecut fibers are introduced into the right hand inlet end of the siftingdevice toward and against the deflector D which will break up the airstream and prevent the fibers from being carried out the other end ofthe device. Such deflector D will also cause the fibers introduced to bescattered within the device to more readily engage the screening Bthereof and be sifted thereby, In this connection it will be noted thatthe device is inclined to the horizontal from the inlet end 30 to theother end thereof so as to facilitate the e through the screening B ofthe device throughout its length of the cut fibers introduced thereto.If desired the lower end 50 of the device may have an outlet opening 5|therein, and suitable means such as a conduit (not shown) may beemployed to receive from said outlet opening ii any fibers which passlongitudinally of the device without being sifted radially through thescreening B thereof. As the device rotates the knockers B will vibratethe. screening B and expedite the passage of the cut fibers radiallythrough said screening. Thus,

the maximum percentage of fibers introduced to the device will be siftedthrough the screening B thereof onto the adhesive coated carpet materialaforesaid.

What we claim as our invention is:

i. A rotary sifting device for cut fibers, comprising an elongated reelofhexagonal cros section, screening extending eircumferentially aboutsaid reelto cover the same, opposite longitudinal edge portions of saidscreening being disposed in overlapping relation upon one of the sixsides of said reel, separate clamps for said edge portions on said oneside or the reel, an adjustable connection between said clamps fortensioning the screening on said reel, brackets fixed to two other ofthe six sides of said reel, and knockers for said screening freelypivoted to said brackets,

the two sides of said reel to which said brackets and knockers areconnected being alternate sides of said reel spaced equidistantly fromsaid one side upon which said clamps and adjustable connection aremounted, whereby said reel is substantially balanced.

2. A. rotary sifting device for cut fibers, comprising an elongated reelof polygonal cross section covered with screening and covered at one endwith an axially disposed inlet through which cut fibers may beintroduced by an air stream, and means within the reel for breaking upthe air stream and fibers introduced into the reel through said inlet sothat such fibers will not be carried by said air stream axially throughsaid reel, including an axially mounted deflector near said inlet in thepath of said air stream, said deflector being dished and opening towardsaid inlet so that the fibers introduced by the air stream will bescattered radially within said reel toward said screening to be siftedthereby during rotation of said device.

HAROLD P. FARIB. JOHN E. WHITE.

